This year, the yearbook committee invites you to participate in deciding on the theme for the 2024-2025 yearbook. The poll closes on Friday, September 13 at 3:15 PM. Be sure to vote!

Click here to vote!

Congratulations to the winners of this year's election! Thank you to all of the students who ran for a position in the student council. 

Your 2024/2025 Student Council: 

President/Vice President:
Ainsley Fink & Armaan Herr

Secretaries:
Nayha Gill, Lukas Chang, & Andrew Wu

Social Reps:
Jake Li, Baneet Dhugga, & Zaki Khan

Art, Music, & Media Reps:
Reya Rasul, David Ding, & Kate Pan

Last Thursday, High School international students from Grades 9-12 attended the show Salesman in China at the Stratford Festival. Students enjoyed seeing the show, going out for lunch, and exploring the town of Stratford. 

The play is about how art can help us unite despite differences. Grade 11 student Peter Wang said, “I liked the music in the play, which was a combination of Chinese traditional music and jazz brushes.” Kathy Kai said the play was funnier than she expected: “At the end I thought I was going to cry but then they made a joke.” Alyssa Diao liked how the costumes and lighting helped tell the story, and Jessie Li said the story was easy to follow: “I liked the transition between the main character’s memory and fantasy and reality in the play”. 

Overall, there were rave reviews from this audience!

The Mentor College DECA Executive team attended the "DECA Symposium" at Chateau Le Jardin in Vaughan, marking the official launch of the DECA competitive season.

This year, 841 DECA Executives from across Ontario came together to exchange strategies for preparing their chapters for the upcoming competitions. It was also a great opportunity to network with fellow students and hear from several guest speakers.

The team is excited to share what they’ve learned with the Mentor DECA chapter and is eager to achieve success at the Regional Competition in November.

DECA Execs (L to R): Reya Rasul, Simran Bhalla, Rajan Parmar, Nayha Gill, Armaan Laroia, Ammar Adam, Shiven Taneja, Max Nantai-Vlahavich (Absent)

Last year, members of the Mentor College High School Environment Club (Gardening Team) set a goal to build a vegetable garden that could benefit the local community. Max Dudnyk, Shiven Taneja, Roderick Liao, Rayan Kabbara, Ethan Yang, and Hardeep Hans conducted research and applied for a microgrant from Cmmit2Act (an organization that strives to make our communities more sustainable and inclusive) to turn this into a reality. 

In the spring of 2024, they grew plants from seed, built two raised garden beds at the northwest corner of the main campus, planted their seedlings, and cared for their plants while they were attending summer school. 

Altogether, they have been able to donate over twenty pounds of fresh produce to the Compass Food Bank. We are very proud of the hard work that they put into this project!

Outreach volunteers spent the morning doing yard work for our neighbors at the Alzheimer Society of Peel. Although the yards were not large, the volunteers tackled the many vines and leaves that entangled both areas. Alzheimer Society of Peel staff was very appreciative and amazed at how much was accomplished. Outreach volunteers were also able to present a cheque for almost $700 from last week's bake sale, so it was a great ending to the week. The group will be back in the spring to help them tidy up once again.

Last Wednesday/Thursday, the Take Action Group hosted its first of many successful events of the year! Senior Sunrise had a fantastic turnout, with this early morning event bringing together senior students to celebrate the beginning of their last year in high school. 

Students gathered on the Mentor field to watch the sun come up and then shared laughter and memories over breakfast in O’Brien Hall. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and nostalgia, creating a perfect kickoff to the senior year.

On Thursday October 10, Outreach members volunteered for their annual Thanksgiving dinner at Compass Food Bank. Volunteers helped set up the dining area, decorated the tables, and prepared and served food with a big heart and a huge smile! Thank you to all members of the Outreach club for the supplies. Overall, the students were able to feed 100 people! 

Our annual University Fair is the signature event of University Month! This year, 27 representatives from schools inside & outside Ontario joined us for an informative evening. Following the first hour, during which students & parents from all HS grades attended the open fair in the NS gym, at least 115 senior students took part in a series of breakout sessions with individual schools. Thanks to all for a successful night! On Friday, alumni share their knowledge and experience with senior students at the Alumni Afternoon.

Last week, the tennis team competed at the ROPSSAA championships! We would like to recognize our senior athletes: Reya Rasul and Ziqi Zhao placed 4th in girls' doubles and Kamran Warsi and Navyaa Johry placed 4th in mixed doubles! 

We would also like to congratulate our junior athletes: mixed doubles, Mikhail Khan and Nyla Parmar, finished in 2nd place and Cici Zhang took home 1st place in the junior girls' singles category!

Finally, a huge congratulations goes to every single member of this year's tennis team as the team took home the trophy for Overall Combined Total Points for the second year in a row! This includes all points earned by our junior, senior, and open athletes who competed at Qualifiers and Championships. 

Open athletes Jerry Yang and Jahaanjeet Brar will be competing at OFSAA in June!

Coaches Chung, Dickey, and Kang are incredibly proud of all of you!

Liam Hammond, Jonathan Lacko, and Lomax Cornell dominated at the ROPSSAA Cross Country Championships where they finished 1st, 3rd, and 4th respectively in the Junior Boys’ race. Noah Al Hashemi also qualified for OFSAA by finishing 6th in the Senior Boys’ race. These accomplishments speak to the stamina, technique, and determination of these four athletes. Coaches Pedersen and Brewster have been inspired by how these runners have consistently pushed one other at every practice, and it was gratifying to see their hard work pay off at ROPSSAA. On a cool day at the Heart Lake Conservation Area, the boys set a goal of top 5 finishes for all of them and came through over the hilly terrain.

This will be Liam’s second time competing at OFSAA in cross-country running. After winning ROPSSAA gold last year, he went on to finish 55th at OFSAA. Part of Liam's repeat gold medal may be attributed to being pushed in practice by both Jonathan and Lomax, who will be running at OFSAA for the first time in their first season competing in cross-country running.

This is also Noah’s first year competing in cross-country running. His placing at ROPSSAA is an impressive feat given his newness to the sport and that the senior division is comprised of grade 11 and 12 students. Noah's commitment to the team and practicing hard has certainly paid off.

All four teammates have been improving their times each race and are hungry to have their best races yet. They will travel to Ottawa to race in the provincial championships, OFSAA, on November 4. 

Their coaches join the rest of the Mentor & TEAM community in wishing Liam, Jonathan, Lomax, and Noah all the best!

Last Friday, students in Ms Solovieff’s Grade 12 Law classes visited the Superior Court of Justice in downtown Toronto to observe trials and legal procedures. 

The students were able to view tense cross-examinations and see how evidence is presented in a live court. Students were also able to appreciate the sensitive nature of the material presented and demonstrated a mature attitude to court procedure.

Afterwards, everyone enjoyed a lunch at the Eaton’s Centre!

High School students are finishing up their final touches for the musical this year, Monty Python's SPAMALOT. Last Saturday, the students had their first costume parade where they tried on their costumes and continued perfecting their acts. Their efforts are evident and they are excited to present their hard work soon!  

Show Information:

• December 4, 5, and 6 at 7:00 pm in O'Brien Hall (Main Campus)
• Tickets are not required
• Donations are being accepted now at http://payment.mentorteam.ca (All donations go to 'Art Starts') 

Monty Python's SPAMALOT is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide 1180 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 640, New York, NY 10036. http://www.theatricalrights.com  

Spamalot had its opening performance last night! The show was a huge hit - well-received by the audience! There are still two more chances to catch the show: tonight (Thursday) and tomorrow night at 7:00 PM. Tickets are not required. Cashless donations are welcome at the door - in support of Art Starts. 

The Environment Club’s Paint Reclamation Team has been working hard in tandem with the Art Department to filter the paint wash water from the art classes. Over the past three years, the team has developed and perfected a method to remove the plastic solids and the acidity from paint water.

Normally this water would have been dumped down the drain. This puts a load on the water treatment plant. Since the start of this school year, the paint has instead been dumped into large buckets, where the team flocculates the paint particles and adds a base to neutralize it.

An additional benefit of this, is that the removed paint solids can be mixed with a small amount of water and used as new paint!

Yesterday, the U14 girls’ soccer team played at the PSAA tournament. They started off strong in the first two games with a win against KCS and a tie with SMLS. Though the girls had a tough game against Rotherglen, they brought it back in the last round-robin game against NGS to be second in their tier.

In playoffs, the girls showed great passing, strong shots on goal, and incredible sportsmanship to win semifinals and bring the team to second place finish in the finals. Overall, it was a great day and coaches Perrow and Caringi are proud of everyone! Great season, ladies!

Yesterday, the U14 boys' soccer team won their PSAA tournament by going undefeated and not conceding a single goal all day!

A big shout-out to goal-scorers Zane, Dominic, Will, Niam, and Keryan - whose skill and determination propelled the team forward.

Special recognition goes to Nikhail for his exceptional support in midfield, helping to control the game and connect our plays.

Our outstanding defense, anchored by Christian, Ram, PJ, Satsahib, Krish, and Arjun ensured that our opponents could not break through. 

Congratulations to all the players for this remarkable accomplishment! Your teamwork and commitment have made coaches Bhandari and Iyigun very proud.

Yesterday the U12 Girls’ soccer team competed in the PSAA tournament at Oakville Soccer Center. The girls dominated the 4 round-robin games with 13 goals in total. 

With the team's excellent defending and endless hustling, the girls qualified for the semifinals. It was a tough game, with Mentor winning in penalties 2-0. 

In the finals, the girls faced Rotherglen Oakville and after a tough game they lost 2-1. Coaches Vieira and Poonah are incredibly proud of the girls for a great tournament.

We extend a huge congratulations to our Intermediate Student Parliament Executive Members for the 2024-2025 school year! These students will use their platform ideas and skills to positively impact our school. Please welcome the following students to their roles:

Grade 5 Ministers: Neil Joshi and Winston Shi
Grade 6 Ministers: Karamvir Bhangu and Jesse Ferreira
Grade 8 Ministers: Aidan Awan and Eric Bilodeau
Deputy Prime Ministers: Rory McCallen and Jack Merino
Prime Ministers: Pari Padam and Nikhail Gill

Pictured (left to right top row): Jack Merino, Rory McCallen, Pari Padam, Nikhail Gill, Karamvir Bhangu, Jesse Ferreira; (left to right bottom row): Winston Shi and Neil Joshi; Not pictured: Aidan Awan and Eric Bilodeau

Over the past week, the Grade 7s had a blast exploring the Harbourfront Centre in downtown Toronto. Students had the chance to learn about the history of how this extremely important part of Toronto came to be! Students also had a chance to explore and learn about sustainability and the role they play in protecting our environment. 

The Intermediate Division’s Leaders for Change will be holding a sweet Hallowe'en fundraiser with all proceeds going to Hospital for Sick Children.

What: LFC Hallowe'en Candy Kebobs $4 each
When: Orders open from Thursday, October 10 - Monday, October 28
Delivery: Thursday, October 31
Payment: you can purchase through EMT to payment@mentorcollege.edu or by making payment online. Make sure to complete the Student name and Grade level field!

On Tuesday, students in Mr. Block and Mr. Rendeiro’s Grade 11 leadership classes organized and led some Grade 7 and Grade 5 PE classes in a variety of fun games and activities to teach and promote the importance of teamwork! 

From benchball to bump, charades and even an obstacle course, the Grade 5 and 7 students had so much fun!  Thank you to our High School students for giving back to their friends in the Intermediate Division in this way! Mr. Rose and Ms. Narvaez and their students appreciate your efforts and see some true leaders in the making!

This year, Mentor College had the unique opportunity to enter two teams in the PSAA U14 Ultimate Frisbee Tournament, and little did we know what amazing ultimate things would take place when we split our roster of 20 athletes into two teams. 

And so….Congratulations to our U14 Tier 2 Ultimate Frisbee Team for their BIG WIN at the PSAA Tournament! The team battled hard all day with some very close games. Even after losing 2 of the round robin games, the team was able to rally and pull out a win in the semifinals. The final game against OCS, who were undefeated all day, was a battle resulting in a tie at the end of regulation time. Mentor, however, had momentum and would not be held back, and because of amazing teamwork, we were able to pull through with a 7 to 6 win in overtime!

In Tier 1, with grit and tenacity, our second Mentor team went undefeated in round-robin play.  In playoffs, though they eliminated Rotherglen-Oakville in a decisive semi-final match 13 to 3, they knew they would be facing a worthy adversary in NGS, whom they edged out earlier in round-robin by only 1 point. Mentor’s final opponents were tall, fast, and skilled, but as the championship game commenced, in a full-force, full-team effort, our athletes jumped higher and ran faster to a final score of 11 to 3 and to victory, bringing home the Tier 1 Championship plaque for a second year in a row!

From Coaches Narvaez and Swanson, "we saw each one of you grow this season from our first practice all the way to finals and we are proud of each one of you! Thank you for an exciting and unforgettable season!"

Yesterday, the U14 girls’ volleyball team competed in the PSAA tournament held at St. Mildred’s-Lightbourn. The girls showed great determination and teamwork in all of their games. Although the team faced some tough competition, they played with incredible sportsmanship and showed tremendous improvement with every set. The girls had some unbelievable saves and great tips to make it to the semifinals. In semis, the team showed some great serves and hits, but ultimately faced a tough loss. Coaches Brennan and Caringi are so proud of all the girls for their efforts! Great season ladies!

Over the course of this school year, there are about 50 students competing in the Caribou Cup, a worldwide math contest that takes place throughout the year with five contest sessions in total. 

The second round clearly demonstrated that the Mentor students know their numbers. In the Grades 7/8 category, three students managed to get a perfect score! Among the Grades 5/6 students, three students were just one wrong answer from a perfect result. Students can join the Caribou at any time. Contact Mr. Fransson if interested.

PHOTO - back row: Karina Swaminath, Nael Sawhney, Stanley Fu; front row: Jenica Kalra, Jayden He, Miraya Bakshi

In an exciting opportunity, our Grade 8 students were invited to the Google headquarters downtown for an exclusive tour. The students were given an inside look into the world of Google, learning valuable insights about the company’s operations and its approach to problem-solving, creativity, and promoting mental and physical well-being in the workplace. 

The tour highlighted how Google fosters a dynamic environment, encouraging its employees to think outside the box and push the boundaries of technology. During their tour, the students were introduced to the various facilities that promote creativity, collaboration, and relaxation. They were particularly impressed by the vibrant workspaces, equipped with comfortable seating areas, open collaboration zones, and quiet spaces to reduce stress and foster productivity. 

The students were inspired by the experience, leaving with a deeper understanding of the tech industry and the impact of innovation in shaping the future. Their enthusiasm and newfound knowledge are a testament to the potential of our students and the bright future that lies ahead. A special thank you is extended to Sachin Kalra, who helped organize the visit, and Neil Bunn, a Mentor alumni, for their warm welcome and guidance throughout the day. 

The U10 girls’ soccer team had an outstanding day at Churchill Meadows, going undefeated and winning every match! The players showcased incredible determination, teamwork, and sportsmanship throughout the competition. Coaches Catahan and Perrow are extremely proud of your hard work and dedication. Well done, team!

At the annual PSAA Cross Country meet, the air was filled with excitement as the kids cheered each other on! Lou ran an impressive race, finishing 7th overall, while Mia followed closely, securing 8th place in the the girls' division. Raam showed great determination, finishing 9th, and Kaius rounded out the team with a strong 11th place finish in the boys' division. All of our athletes should be commended for their hard work and camaraderie! Ms. Narvaez and Ms. Wasley are so proud of all of you! 

We are happy to announce the winners of the Caribou Cup Math Contest. Last week, students from Grades 1-4 participated in the math contest online at Primary Campus.

In Grade 2, Asher Choi took 1st place for his school and 2nd in his school board. In Grade 3/4, Jasper Choi and Arjun Mukerji tied for 1st place in their school and 3rd place in their school board.

Mrs. Fournie is so incredibly proud of the effort and deligence of all the participants. She is happy that the students tried something new and challenging! A big thank you to Mrs. KearseyCarter for helping us navigate the contest.

Way to go, Caribou contestants! 

Last week, Grade 3s visited the Apple Store - where they had the opportunity to share their self-made emojis on the big screen! 

Students personalized everything from background colour to hairstyle! They presented their final products to the class and had the opportunity to pose in front of their creations!

TEAM School teachers have been busy preparing to open the doors tomorrow and welcome all of the students for the first day of school! 

New parents are invited to TEAM School tomorrow at 7:00 PM to attend an information night - a community-building event for new families. Learn about the types of support for classes and individual students. Principal Ms. McDonald will also talk about TEAM School's communication expectations from teachers to parents and the program in general. 

If you would like to attend, please contact the school office at 905-279-7200.

This year’s Terry Fox Run campaign, called #NoMatterWhat celebrates Terry’s determination and persistence. When running his Marathon of Hope in 1980, Terry faced many challenges along the way, but he kept going – no matter the obstacles, no matter the journey, no matter the odds. We know that schools from coast to coast to coast will carry on his legacy to raise funds for cancer research and display their amazing #NoMatterWhat efforts for this year’s Run.

Wednesday, September 18th will mark TEAM School’s 31st year participating in the Terry Fox Run. Over the years, we have raised more than $125,000. This year, TEAM School’s fundraising goal is $2500. If every student raises just $25, we will surpass this goal.

You can donate here. 

TEAM School had a successful day at the U12 Soccer tournament in Oakville at Pine Glen Soccer Center. The boys displayed excellent skills and sportsmanship throughout the day and came 2nd in the division. There were some excellent plays and fantastic saves made throughout the day. Coaches Taylor and Johnston are very proud of the efforts the boys made. Well Done!

Students in the primary TEAM Prep program have been learning about the importance of our skeletons and some of the different bones in our bodies. In this hands-on activity, students used a Play Doh mat and Play Doh to showcase the largest bones in our bodies (the femur), and the soft spots in our skull that become hard as we grow (fontanelles).

Mr. Taylor and Ms. Cohoon are so proud of the members of the cross-country team for completing their 2.0 km or 2.5 km races. The runners showed true grit as they fought through the brisk winds and were determined to do their best. Special shoutouts to Brendan Tiller for finishing in 3rd and Connor Lowe for finishing 15th in their respective races. Hope to see you all back next year competing!

As administrative principal of the schools, Mr. Starkey's main role is to work behind-the-scenes on anything that is not directly related to curriculum. Mr. Starkey was one of the founders of the Private Schools' Athletic Association (PSAA) and has been both the elementary and high school athletic directors for Mentor/TEAM.

When I was in elementary school (back when school photos were printed in black and white!), I played community baseball, soccer, and hockey. At school, I was a member of every “Colborne Cyclones” team there was. Since it was a small school out in the country, there weren’t a lot of options for school clubs. When I got to high school, I continued to do athletics even though there were more extra-curricular options available to me. Looking back, I would like to have a chat with “Grade 9 Me” and tell him that, even though most of the GDCI athletes only did sports, he should get involved in music and drama and be a more well-rounded person!

At Mentor College & TEAM School, our primary focus is on academics and we know from the success of our students in university that we are doing an excellent job at that. We work hard…but we also play hard! Tomorrow, each division will be releasing a list of all the clubs and teams available to our students this year and we encourage you and your child to sit down and discuss which extra-curricular activities they might want to join. Some activities occur before school, some during recess breaks, and some after school.

Clubs and teams are a wonderful opportunity for students to discover others with similar interests and new friendships can form…particularly with students who are new to our schools or who have moved to a new division in the school. And if you have one of those children who is focused on just one thing (sports, drama, academics, arts, and music) encourage them to try at least one new thing this year. It was Grade 12 before I discovered that being in plays and that singing and playing instruments was something I really enjoyed. If I had only known that years before!

Chris Starkey
Administrative Principal
Mentor College & TEAM School

An opportunity to meet & socialize with fellow parents and members of The Mentor TEAM Parent Association!

Come by any time between 8:30AM - 10:00AM:

Main Campus - Tues Sept 17th (Outside Main Entrance)
TEAM School - Wed Sept 18th (Outside TEAM Entrance)
Primary Campus- Thurs Sept 19th (Sideyard behind Parking)

This morning, the first group of the year is headed north to the OEC (Outdoor Education Centre)! We wish the students in Ms. Harris's and Mr. Fransson's Grade 8 classes a week of fun outdoor learning, camaraderie, and excellent weather in Muskoka!

From Tuesday to Thursday evenings next week, Mentor & TEAM will be holding Meet The Teacher Nights. This is an opportunity for parents to come to the school, visit the classroom, and ... meet the teacher! We look forward to seeing you. 

The schedule is as follows:

Primary
Tuesday, September 24, 6:00 PM

TEAM
Wednesday, September 25, 6:30 PM

High School
Wednesday, September 25, 7:00 PM

Intermediate 
Thursday, September 26, 6:30 PM

Boys and Ghouls, it's finally here! The annual MTPA Spooky Soiree BBQ Bingo takes place October 18th at 5:30pm in the Main campus gym!

There will be raffles, prizes for best costume, food, a special witches potion for purchase, and of course some scarily fun bingo! Tickets can be purchased through the link on the MTPA Instagram and Facebook pages or through the QR code link on the posters around the school. Tell your families to get your tickets before they sell out! You don't want to miss this scary good time!

GET YOUR TICKETS AND DON’T MISS OUT!

From 2003 to 2019, Mentor College & TEAM School welcomed to the school such distinguished guest speakers as Rick Hansen, Eddy Robinson, and Roberta Bondar. As part of the Speaker Series, senior students have had the opportunity to hear lectures from prominent figures in Canadian society.

Over the years, the school has been proud to welcome people who have helped shape the Canadian identity both at home and abroad. Our students have learned valuable lessons about life from listening to first-hand stories of success and adversity from Canada's greatest thinkers, scientists, athletes, and more.

We are excited to let you know that, on Thursday, November 7, the Mentor College & TEAM School Speaker Series will be making a return. We look forward to announcing the 2024 guest speaker next Tuesday.

Mentor College & TEAM School are proud to welcome PWHL player and gold medal Olympian Natalie Spooner to the school on Thursday November 7.

Natalie Spooner’s hockey story – from backyard rink to Olympic gold – is truly Canadian. Natalie fell in love with the game at an early age and quickly realized she had the potential to go ‘pro’ thanks to her skills, toughness and determination. After 3 straight medal-winning appearances with the Canadian Olympic Team, Natalie added a new role to her growing repertoire – mom – with an impressive “mom-back” to compete at the World Championships in under six months. In the PWHL’s inaugural year, Natalie quickly became the face of the league as she led in points and scoring through the season. She led Toronto to the playoffs and walked away from the season with the titles of League MVP and Top Forward and was the first Canadian to be named IIHF Female Player of the Year. Natalie’s record-breaking comeback is a testament to women everywhere – you can be both.

Thursday November 7
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Grades 4-12 students (Mentor College & TEAM School)

Congratulations to this year's Tie Award recipients. Students can earn points toward this prestigious award through Grades 9-11. The Tie Award recognizes outstanding students in all four areas of academics, arts, volunteer and leadership, and athletics. Recipients are presented the school tie in their senior year.

A series of construction projects took place over the summer. The parking lot at the Main Campus was repaved - giving it a fresh new look!

The Main office underwent a complete renovation in the month of August. Be sure to stop by for a look and say "hello" to secretary Ms. Owens!

As they return after the summer break, track athletes and avid track walkers will be happy to find a freshly resurfaced track!

In last week's email (sent out with student schedules), those of you taking a Grade 12 course were informed that Grade 12 books could be purchased from The MT Room. Here is a listing of the books (new and some used) available there:

Accounting Textbook, Accounting Working Papers, Advanced Functions, Biology Textbook, Biology Study Guide, Calculus and Vectors, Challenge and Change, Chemistry, History Novel (Civilization), Philosophy Textbook, Philosophy Logic Notes, Philosophy Novel (Sophie’s World), Physics, World Issues

ONLINE ORDERING:

Go to themtroom.com, select your books (new books only), and pay via PayPal (note that this is the only debit/credit payment option this year)

The following day, your books will be ready for you to pick up in the Music Office during store hours

If you order on or before August 28th, the books will be ready for you for pickup on the 29th.

IN-STORE ORDERING:

Go to the Music Office during store hours and pick out your new or used books.

Pay with etransfer, cash, or cheque (no credit/debit payment available)

STORE HOURS (in the Music Office)

Thursday, August 29, noon to 3:00pm

Tuesday to Thursday, September 3 to 6, 8:30 to 1:00

After September 6th, The MT Room will no longer be selling textbooks so do not delay!

A series of construction projects took place over the summer. The parking lot at the Main Campus was repaved - giving it a fresh new look!

The Main office underwent a complete renovation in the month of August. Be sure to stop by for a look and say "hello" to secretary Ms. Owens!

As they return after the summer break, track athletes and avid track walkers will be happy to find a freshly resurfaced track!

In last week's email (sent out with student schedules), those of you taking a Grade 12 course were informed that Grade 12 books could be purchased from The MT Room. Here is a listing of the books (new and some used) available there:

Accounting Textbook, Accounting Working Papers, Advanced Functions, Biology Textbook, Biology Study Guide, Calculus and Vectors, Challenge and Change, Chemistry, History Novel (Civilization), Philosophy Textbook, Philosophy Logic Notes, Philosophy Novel (Sophie’s World), Physics, World Issues

ONLINE ORDERING:

Go to themtroom.com, select your books (new books only), and pay via PayPal (note that this is the only debit/credit payment option this year)

The following day, your books will be ready for you to pick up in the Music Office during store hours

If you order on or before August 28th, the books will be ready for you for pickup on the 29th.

IN-STORE ORDERING:

Go to the Music Office during store hours and pick out your new or used books.

Pay with etransfer, cash, or cheque (no credit/debit payment available)

STORE HOURS (in the Music Office)

Thursday, August 29, noon to 3:00pm

Tuesday to Thursday, September 3 to 6, 8:30 to 1:00

After September 6th, The MT Room will no longer be selling textbooks so do not delay!

As we near the end of the first quarter in the High School Division, I have been reflecting on how far we have come since March 13 – the last in-person day of the 2019-2020 school year. At that time, it was decided by the school that March Break would be extended by two weeks. Of course, the extended closure ended up lasting until the end of the school year. Since March 13, teachers have been transforming how they teach your children. There are countless examples of this both inside and outside of the classroom.

On Tuesday morning, a teacher shared with me that, by putting her camera up to the microscope, students learning remotely were able to do their analyses using the same observations seen by the students in class! The next day, I walked past a business class where a remote-learning student was co-presenting with an in-class student. Yesterday, I watched a virtual guest speaker talk to a Civics class about her experience as a lawyer.

Outside of the class, we have become comfortable with new entry and exit routines, safety protocols, and outdoor classrooms. Students and teachers have also further developed technical fluency, using Microsoft products to provide immediate feedback to remote-learning and in-class students alike.

Our world is very different today than it was in March, but we have adapted, grown, and continued to learn. Our students have become accustomed to longer classes, new schedules, and other changes to routines. Teachers have had the challenges of rethinking assessments, developing lessons, and finding creative new ways of ensuring that lesson delivery remains of the highest quality.

Fortunately, students and teachers have continued to apply the work ethic that is synonymous with Mentor College and TEAM School. I wanted to take a moment to share how grateful I am for everything that has transpired this school year and also for the opportunities that will arise throughout the rest of the school year.

Aneil Panchal
Assistant Vice Principal
High School Division

Today is “Let’s Talk Day” in Canada. We are in the 4th week of remote learning (and the second lockdown of the pandemic) so its timing could not be more relevant.

Everyone would love to be back-to-school with our pre-pandemic “normal” and while I think it is nice to look forward to this day, it is clear that it will be a long time before COVID-19 will be in our rear-view mirror. In the meantime, we are all doing our best to apply the “new normal” to our lives. For our students, it means being more attached to the same screens that parents scolded them for over-using 12 months ago. For our staff members, it means not only teaching material lessons but also learning a new suite of software (for everything from daily lessons to final evaluations) in order to best deliver to their students in a remote-learning setting.

For an individual student or teacher, the “new normal” would be tough enough on its own. When you add in the dynamics of a family where everyone is needing the time, space, and devices in order to do their daily tasks, however, the physical and mental health of everyone suffers. Any parent who is ensuring the kids are logged in and engaged in school lessons, working from home themselves, and still managing to keep everyone fed, dressed, and clean (particularly with our younger students) has undiagnosed superhero powers! This of course also applies to our teachers who have school-aged children who are learning at the same time Dad or Mom is teaching.

We know everyone is struggling at times and we are also aware that the lockdown has affected some of you greatly. It is OK to feel this way and it is even more OK to talk about it. Mentor’s high school principal, Mr. Whyte, says:

It is very important for our high school students to reach out and talk to someone, especially during these days of isolation. Our guidance counsellors are available every day to listen and help. Guidance is a valuable resource for students, parents and teachers and we are happy this service continues to be of use.

Mr. Whyte loves the outdoors and when I asked him for his best advice for remote learners, teachers, and parents, he suggests:

I cannot overstate the importance of physical and outdoor activity. We should all aim to get outside for some fresh air every day to help refresh us from the screen time we all endure each day.

Our director, Mr. Macdonald, has noticed the sense of community and how teachers and students have been a great source of peer-to-peer strength for each other:

When I visit a class that is remote learning, one of the things I enjoy seeing most is the students interacting with each other. When I start a staff meeting I know that the teachers will log on a few minutes early just to have a moment to see each other and to socialize. It’s amazing to see how students and teachers manage to support each other and lift spirits, even in a virtual setting.

This sense of community goes for our parents as well. We know that you are keeping in touch with each other and fostering some of the friendships that have developed through your association with our school. We have been receiving messages from parents who want to thank a specific teacher or the school in general for the remote learning programme; teachers seem to get these needed bits of praise just when they are needed most. We have also heard from parents who feel that they (or their children) are “failing” because they have trouble juggling all the new responsibilities that the pandemic has been placed upon them. Reach out and let us know. We might be able to help in a tangible way; even if that means just listening, perhaps that can help in some small way.

Most of all we are thankful for the students and there are wonderful little stories shared among staff that keep us going. My favourite so far is the teacher who, seeing that the class was starting to get off-track, used the “stern face” that works so well in the classroom setting…only to have the students all call out that “your screen is frozen”!

We all need to talk to each other, not just today, but every day. Take a look at some of the resources available on the “Let’s Talk” website and share them with your family. If you need help, reach out. If you are in a position of giving help, reach out. We are blessed with a school community that truly cares for each other.

Chris Starkey
Admininstrative Principal
Mentor College/TEAM School